Printing head reciprocator



Nov.. 10, 1931.

R. E. PAGE PRINTING HEAD RECIPROCATOR Filed Sept. 2, 1927 4 Sheets-Sheetl h is bten/LW Nov. 1o, 1931. R. E. PAGE 1,830,765

PRINTING HEAD REGIPROCATOR l Filed Sept- 2. 192W 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 immRQP E. Po ge @13 his @htm/14mg Nov. 10,

R. E. PAGE PRINTING HEAD RECIPROCATOR Filed Sept. 2. 1927 4 Sheets-Sheet3 4AHillllllln |205 |2b 33,12* his www Ralph amg@ Nov. 10, 1931.

R. E. PAGE PRINTING HEAD RECIYPROCATOR 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Sept. 2.1927 wuawtoz Patented Nov. 10, 1,931

" unirsi) STATES PATENT: OFFCE f i RALPH E. PAGE, F 'IBINGHAIVIY.ONy NEWYORK, 'ASSIGNOR T0 THE'TABULATING MVA- CHINE COMPANY, 0F ENDICOTT, NEWYORK, A. CORPORATION .0E NEWJE'RSEY PRINTING finan nnoirnocnfror.

Application filed SeptemlierZ, 1927. Serial 4No'. 217,079.

This invention relates to reciprocatory printing machines and moreVparticularly to a printing head reciprocator to be used in conjunctionWith accountingmachines or the like.

Many tabulating machines in commercial use are equipped with a printingattachment which includes type bars, having type uniformly spacedthereon, and reciprocable to w bring the different type into printingposition. It isdesirable that the type bars have a uniform motionthroughout'their type selecting stroke and this has been very dicult ofattainment When straight type bars are used. The type bars are drivenfrom a rotary shaft through the intermediary of either arms and links orcams. The diiliculty of obtaining uniform rectilinear motion from thelink construction Without introduc- 2e ing unduly complicated operatingconnections is obvious. Theoretically the cam drives may provide thedesired uniform motion butlpractically the accurate machining of thecams for this purpose presents a serious construction problem.Furthermore, When box cams 'are used there is Aalways more orlcsstendency for the parts to bind, thus entailing further designingrand machining' problems to avoid excessive Wear on the op- 3e eratingparts. f n l According to the present invention a simpler form of typebar drive is contemplated in which Jdie motion of the type barstliroughout the type selecting portion of their stroke is madeabsolutely uniform Without the accurate machining of parts Whichv hashereto-v fore been necessary. This is accomplished by the use of a rackand pinion drivefor the bars in which case the pinion may be oper 40ated from the rotatingv drive shaft. Owing to the reciprocatory movementof the type the motion with ing separatecam drives yfor the end orreversing portions'of the stroke. Y As these end portions of the strokedo not require uniform motion the cams may be designed toireverse aslittle shock to 'the parts as may be. v A f l f The invention@ furthercontemplates f the elimination of springs for operating the type bai-seither in their advancingy or restoring movements. The restoringmovement is like- Wise enqected in the preferred embodiment bya rack andpinion drive which preferably is independent of the advancing rack `andpin-f 'l ion and designed to provide for a quick return motion. It isobvious, howeve ir,lth`atl uniform motion during the restoringportion ofthe stroke is not essential and theba-rs couldbef driven during `thisportion Voflthestroke by cams, linkage or even springs and thefprin-rcipal advantages of the invention, in regard to uniform operatingmovement during the type selecting stroke, Vstillr realizeda The general'scheme of operation'of the' preferred embodiment of the inventio'nimaybe briefly summarized. The type bars are started in advance directiontWith gradually increasing speed av cam drive. normal speedV for theadvancestroke'is attained the drive is assumed by a rack and piniondevice which maintains the normal uniforin'speed until all types havepassedprinting position. :After this the drive is assumed by a secondcam drivevvhich reduces the speed gradually to zero, reverses thedirection of f movement .of the'bars and` gradually increases theirspeed in the reverse direction. When normal high restoring speed isreached the drive is assumed by azsecondfrack and` pinion drive Whichoperates f until towards the end of thereversing stroke When the driveis again taken up by the first cam drive to again reverse the motion.' r

When

The prncipalobject of the inventionis to provide a reciprocatory drivelfora printing mechanism in which a uniform motion is obtained during thetype selecting stroke and to provide improved and simplified construc-Vtion and operationof parts forthis result'.

Another object of the invention. is to Yprovide for-a rack and piniondrive for reciprocatory type carrying mechanism and to provide forremoving the shocks due to reversal of movement from the rack and piniondrive.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a combined cam andrack and pinion drive for a reciprocatory printing mechanism with a viewto obtaining uniform motion during the type selecting portion of thestroke and to eliminate shocks to the drive mechanism dur-ing reversalsof movement of the printingmechanisms.

Still another object of the invention is to provide for eliminatingOperating springs in a reciprocatory printing mechanism.

Further objects and advantages will be more fully set forth in thevaccompanying specification and claims and shown in the drawings, inwhich Fig.. lisa front elevational view of the printing headreciprocator.

Fig. 2 is a sectional side elevation of same.

- Fig. 3 is :a detail of the vhammer,actuating mechmsmf Fig. A4 isadetail showing a connection between the type carriers and thereciprocating cross head.

'Fig 5k is. an enlarged detail of the mecha.-

s nism shown. in Fig. 2.

Fig. 6vis--adiagram illustrating the operation 'of the printing. head.

Figs. 7, 8. and 9 are similar detail views showingthe operation of theparts in different positionsand Y .Y

Fig. 10 is a section taken on line 10-10 of vertical movement` on rods14,1 plurality of type bars- .and other suitable mechanism which will`.be presently described. A gear 16a rigidly mounted on the shaft 10meshes with a gear (not shown) on a tabulating l machine which rotatesthe shaft 10 one complete revolution for each printing cycle.

' At the beginning ofthe cycle, as shown in Fig. 7, cam followers16.mounted on the up,- per end of the .arcuate arms 17 fixed at theirlower ends to a cross piece'18and at their opposite lends tothe cross`head 13 begin tocoact with portions 11a ofV cams 11. As the cams l11continue torotateclockwise, cam portions 11erl coacting with followers16,

e.. cause thecross head 13 to be raised with graduallyaccelerated speedas indicated in Fig. 6. At a predeterminedqpoint vinthe cycle of themachine, .the cam followers 16 will leave their-.coacting cams 11 atwhich time mutilated gears 19 .also -Xed on the shaft 10 will engagefthe teeth on the racks 20 which are connected at theirv ,upper ends tothe cross head 13 andat their 'lower ends to the. cross piece 118.Atthis point the `racks 2O will have i attained a linearlspee'd'whichcorresponds to the peripheral speed of the gears 19 above referred to.During the time that the gears 19 engage the teeth on the racks 2O thecross head 13 and the type barsv 15 will be moved upwardly at a constantspeed as indicated in Fig. 6, so that the type pass a given pointsynchronously with the passage of a corresponding index point on theVtabulating card through" the usual card reading or analyzing device.The means for arresting the. move.- ment of the .type bars 15 atanydesired denomination when a circuit is set up through a perforation in acard at an index point showing the denomination desired, will bcpresently described.

As `the mutilated gears 19 become disengaged with the teeth on the racks20 (Fig. 9,.) cam followers 21 mounted on the lower ends of the arcuatearms 17 will engage portions 12a of their coacting cams 12 fixed on theshaft 1 0. The engagement of these cam followers with cam portions 12awill decelerate. vthe upward movement of the cross head 13 to zerovelocity. As cam 12k continues to rotate, the cam follower 21 coactswith. the portion 22 of the camv 12 designed to impart a dwell to thetype bars, at which time printing hammers 22a (Figs.V 2` and 5)' willstrike against the type standing in printing position to print thecharacters represented by the type. During this printing operation-theshaft 1() will continue to rotate. After the cam followers 21 havepassed the dwell portion 22 on the cams 12, these portions 12.7) of camscause the cross head 13 to gradually descend beginning at a lowV speedand'rapidly accelerating untijl the speed of the descending cross head13 andthe arcuate arms 17 is the same as the speed of the arms 23rigidly fixed on the shaft 10 (Figs. 7, 8 and 9). The arms 23` areprovided with gear teeth 24: at one end which engages a. tooth 25 on thearcuate arms 17 on the downward stroke of the cross head. The engagementof the arms 23 with the arcuate arms 17 takes place j ust before thecams 12 release their cam followers 21 after which the arms 23 continueto move the cross head downwardly as indicated in Fig. 6. As teeth 24and 25 disengage, cam followers 16 engage portions 11b of cam 11designed to slowly decelerate the downward movement of the cross head,until the parts reach the positions shown in Fig.

7 where the cross head has reached its lowering `is effected and veryquickly returns to 'its initial position with substantially no shock ornoise. Fig. 6 shows clearly the motion diagram of the cross head. Fromthis diagram it will be noted in reading from the left that the heavyline indicates the movement of the cross head 13, the rise commencing onits zero position and increasing its speed through a gradual curve, thenrises at a constant speed until near the upper limit of its movementwhen it d-eceleratesy and then dwells for a moment after which itcommences to descend, rapidly accelerating its speed and then descendsthrough the greater part of its downward movement at a constant speed,then decelerates near its lower extremity to a-zero velocity.

Referencewill now be had to Figs. 2, 4 and 5 wherein the operation ofthe "ype bars 15 and their associated parts will be described.

.- Rig-idly fixed to the cross head 1.3 by means of screws 26 is a bar27 which carries a cross rod 28 upon which are pivotally mounted at 29impositive locking pawls 30, it being understood that there is a pawlfor each type i bar 15. As will benoted in Fig. 4, the nose portion ofeach pawl 30 is urged by spring 31a to engage a notch 31 in the lowerend lof each type bar so that when the cross head 13 rises in the mannerpreviously described, the pawls will causethe type bars 15 to rise inunison with the cross head 13. Each typebar 15 (Figs. 2 and 5) has'aseries of notches 32 thereon which coact with a pawl 33 normally lockedout of engagement with the notches 32 bymeans which will. be presentlydescribed, it being understood that there is a pawl 33 for each typebar. The notches 32 are so spaced that when a type bar 15 moves upwardlyin the manner described, as each type 33a is reaching its printingposition a corresponding notch 32 on the type bar will be passing thelatching pawl 33. If the latching pawl 33 is tripped during the upwardmovement of the type bar it will engage'one I of the notches 32 andprevent further'rise of the bar, the impositive locking pawl 30 slippingout of its notch 31 to prevent interference with further upward movementof the cross head 13. This stop-ping of the type hars holds one of itstype 33a in printing position opposite the platen 68a and the particulartype selected depends on the time of` tripping latch 33. In the presentinstance I prefer to so arrange the type elements 33a i that the zerotype 34 is at the bottom of the type head of bar' 15 and after skippingthe position 35 the type elements 32 in the ascending orderare from 1 to9; the 9 being the uppermost type. In automatic accounting machines thezero type are usually caille-d bv a separate controlling system whichdepends for its operation on the printing of a significant .gure to theright of it. .The spacing shown is convenient for such a system but asit does not enter into the present invention it will not be'furtherdescribed. After. print- .ing is effected in a manner to'be explainednotch 31 (Figs. 2 and 4) at the bottom ofthe type bar whereupon it willcarry the type bar downwardly with it and thus restore it to its initialposition. Should the friction between the pawl 30 and the type bar 15 besu'icient to carry the type bar downwardly without the pawl 3() engagingin the notch 31, the type bar will descend until it strikes a shockabsorbing stop pin 36 (Fig. 4) slidablymounted in the frame ofthe-device. lar 37 at its upper end against which a coil spring38 rests;thus the collar is held against the frame of the device causing the pin3.6 to be extended when in its normalv position. Should the type bar 15abut the surface of the pin 36, the spring 38 will be compressedslightly until its force of compression is sufficient to overcome thefriction between` the pawl 30and the type bar 15 at which point itvwould hold the type bar stationary permit- This pin has a colting thepawl 30 to be slidably. restored downwardly to engage its respectivenotch 31. The tripping of latch 33 to vengage anotch 32 in the type bar15 is effected by means of a magnet 35a vwhich is energized by acircuity completed in any desired manner at a time depending on whichtype hammer is to be actuated for printing.v Normally the pawl 33 islocked in the position shown in Fig. 2 by the latch 40. As will be notedthe pawl 33" and the latch 40 are pivotally mounted at 41 and 42 tobrackets 43'fixed to the device and` 15. Vhen the magnet 35a isenergized, it

attracts its armature 45 which is connected by a link 46 to the latch40and thus pulls the latch to thefright `as viewed in Fig. 5, out fromunder the tail piece 47 of the pawl 33 thereby releasing the pawlpermitting it toE engage with one of the notches 32 to which the typebar had been set in the manner previously described. As soon as printinghas nfsl been effected, a bail 49 pivoted at 50 is actuated by a link 51which vrocks the bail about its axis in a clockwise direction liftingthe tailH piece 47 of the pawl 33 upwardly so that the latch 40 urgedbythe spring 44 may again latch the pawl 31 out of engagement with thenotches-32.

ent instance.

The link 51 referred to is actu-'p ated by mechanism inthe tabulatingmachine which is not necessary to disclosev in the pres-' 13u lce Cil

Reference will now be had to Figs'. 1, 2 and 3 for a description ofthe'manner in which printing is effected. Rigidly mounted on the shaft10 are two cams 52 and 5S. Riding on cam 58 is a cam roller 54 andwiping on cam 52 is a removable cam wiper 55. Both the cam roller 54 andcam wiper 55 are fixed to a link 56 pivoted at or 'to a bracket 58 inthemachine. The opposite end of the-link 56 is Vpivot-ed at 59 toanother link 60 pivoted being such as to permit it a slight play be-ltween the plates. Extensions Gela of the webs 63 carry studs .65 towhich are anchored a pair of springs 66, the other ends of which aremounted on pins 67 of the frame members A andA. As cams 52 and 53 rotateclockwise during the cycle, camroller 54 coaets with cam V53 to slowlylower link 60 and thereby rock plates 62 and 62 counterclockwise,permitting hammers 22a to move away from the type lugs and at the sametime to tension springs 66. Near the end of the upward movement of crosshead 13, cam 53 leaves roller tand cam 52 then engages the acute vtip ofcam wiper 55 and stays in contac hammers are almosli in contact with thetype lugs, web extensions 64a strike studs S0 (F1555.

1) on the frame members A and A', thus stopping bail plates 62 and 62but the hamn beinepermitted a .slight play between said plates7 continueto move Ydue to their inertia andstrike thetype lugs 72 (Fig. whichreason, the second cam 52 and itswiper is provided. During the major'portion of the cycle. the roller 5ft and cam 52 coact .and during thistime preventycoaction of cam 52 and wiper 55. Just before the printingaction is desired to take place, roller 54 is released by It is desiredto have the cam 53 allowing engagement for a short in-` terval of cam 52and wiper 55 after which the i wiper is released to'permit the printingoperation as explained. The tip of wiper 55 does not strike the bottomof the recess 52 in the cam 52 beceause roller 54 engages cam 53 toprevent this. Thus the possibility of wear en the tip of wiper 55 isheld to a-minimumand consequently the latter is always .accuratein itsaction. All the type barsy 15 that are not being used to record columnsin the record card maybe held down by manually pushing the lockinglatches .69 igs. 1 and 2) in the direction of the type bars. slidablymounted in a series of grooves between two plates running the. entirelength of the printing head and attached to the side frames of thedevice by brackets 71, (Fig. 1). )When one ofthe latches 69 is pushedtoward one ofthe type bars the turned-down end .72 (it the latch willengage over the top of the type bar thus preventing it from being raisedin he manner previously described.

TWhile I have shown and pointed out the fundamental novel features ofthe invention as applied to a single modification it will be1ifnderstood that various omissions illustrated and in its operation maybe made by those skilled in theY art without departing from the spiritof the invention. I intend to be limited therefore only as indicatedbythe scope of the following claims: i

1. In apparatus of the class'described, a cyclically movable type bar,'areleasable driving means therefor, and a plurality of actuating means toactuate sait driving means uni-directionallyeffective Vat differenttimes during each cycle. Y s

2. In apparatus of the kind described, a type bar, a driving meanstherefor, an impositive coupling between the bar and its driving means,resilient means for elfectingthe coupling and means for releasing saidcoup.ing. y

V3. In apparatus as described, a type bar, a

*ing means therefor, an impositive coupling between trie bar and thedriving means, means for effecting release of said coupling` during theforward stroke of the type bar and resilient means for effectingrecoupling of said-har and d riving means during the return stroke ofthe bar.

ll. Means for cyclically driving a type bar, comprising a plurality ofdriving members active during each cycle, and a single actuating-shaftfor the plurality of driving members. some of said driving members beingof a different character or type than the others.

5. lleans for cycli/cally driving a type bar, comprising a main shaftandA driving means for the .bar carried by said shaft, said drivingmeans including a gear and a cam each acting during a different portionof the cycle.

6. Means foiucyclically driving a typebar,

These latches are' andv changes in the form and details of the devicecomprising a main shaft, cams carried thereby for gradually moving thebar during predetermined portions of the cycle and gears Y for rapidlydriving the bar during other porcomprising a plurality of independentactuating members, each separately active during a different portion ofthe reciprocating cycle to move the type bar in one direction.

9. In apparatus of the class described, a re -iprocating type element, amain actuating shaft, and a plurality of separate actuating means drivenby said shaft effective to reciprocate the type element during eachrecipro- 1 eating cycle.

10. Means for driving a type bar comprising an actuating member, and aspring-urged member carried thereby to releasably engage the 'type barto drive said bar to a dierently adjusted position.

11. Apparatus of the class described comprising a type bar, actuatingmeans therefor.

a pawl carried thereby and a cooperating notch in the bar engaged by thepawl to effect a driving engagement between the bar and the actuatingmeans to drive said type bar to a differentially adjusted position.

12. In a device of the kind described, a type bar, a positive drivetherefor, means for actuating said bar, and a spring pressed plunger forabsorbing the shock ofthe bar at the end of restoring its movement.

13. In a device as described, a reciprocable type bar, carrying a seriesof individual type means for differentially adjusting said bar bycyclically moving the bar at a variable speed during certain portions ofthe cycle, and other means for moving the bar at constant speed duringthe remaining portions of the cycle.

14. In a device as described, a reciprocable type bar, carrying a seriesof individual type means for differentially adjusting said bar by movingthe bar with a variable velocity.

and other means for at times moving the bar with a constant velocity.

15. In a hammer actuating mechanism, a main actuator, a cam memberdriven by said main actuator and adapted to impart a gradual retractingmovement to the hammer and another cam member driven by said mainactuator and adapted to permit a sudden forward movement of the hammer.

16. In a hammer actuating mechanism, a i

cam actuator, a cam follower cooperating therewith to impart a gradualmovement to the hammer, a second cam follower alternately cooperatingwith said actuator to permit a sudden movement of the hammer said firstfollower during its cooperation with said actuator holding the secondfollower from engagement with said actuator.

17. In a printing device, including type bars and a series of individualhammers for striking the same to eii'ect printing, means for releasablydriving said hammers, means foil releasing the drive of said drivingmeans from said hammers prior to the latter striking said type bars, andmeans comprising spaced members for thereafter permitting a limitedmovement of the hammers toward the type bars to strike the latter', saidmeans havingprovision for limiting the latter movement of said hammers.

18. A printing mechanism includinor reciprocable type bars and drivingmec anism therefor, saiddriving mechanism comprising a rack and piniondevice for driving a bar at uniform speed during an intermediateporvtien of a stro-ke and a cam driving device for decelerating,reversing and thereafter acceleratinn the bar at the ends of its stroke.

19, printing mechanism including reciprocable type bars and drivingmechanism for moving them from a normal position through a plurality ofprinting positions, a releasable connection between said drivingmechanism and said type bars and resilient means for causing arecoupling of said driving mechanism and type bars and for holding saidbars in normal position.

20. In a printing mechanism comprising in combination wit-h a cyclicallyreciprocable bar carrying a series of printingtype, and separatelyacting means whereby said barfis gradually driven from its position ofrest and i thereafter at a constant and uniform speed past apredetermined printing line.

21. In a printing mechanismcomprising in combination with a cyclicallyreciprocable bar carrying a series of printing type, and means wherebysaid bar is gradually drivenv from its position of rest and thereafterat a constant and uniform speed past a predetermined printing line,saidmeans being effec'tive to Vpositively restore said bar to its normalstarting position.

22. Ina printing mechanism comprising in combination with a cyclicallyreciprocable bar carrying a series of printing type, cam means wherebysaid bar is gradually driven from its position of rest and thereafter bya rack and pinion device past a predetermined printing line.

In testimony whereof I heretoaflix my signature.

RALPH E. PAGE.

